A Famous Traitor and Treacherous Genius

124 – Sweet and Bloody Academy (4)

There is a rumor that circulates most commonly in places where an unspecified number of men and women of the same age gather.

-I like it~ I like it~

… This is too much of a children’s story.

-Hey. Over there, your girlfriend is passing by.

-Do you want to die?

This is a conversation full of ridicule towards one person.

When I wondered what kind of rumor would spread widely in the academy where teenagers around the age of 17 gathered, I thought this was the most certain one.

“Princess.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

“So you’re married now? You’ve been bitten by Gibraltar.”

A quiet room with no one in it.

It wasn’t the restaurant where I had eaten with the crown prince before, but I took a room alone with Astasia and went out to have lunch at a restaurant with a separate room similar to his.

“Oh my. Do you think you prevented me from getting married with this?”

“Who would dare touch a woman that Gray Gibraltar has spit on?”

“Pathetic b*stards who want to take Gray Gibraltar’s authority away from her?”

“I have no intention of having it taken away, and I will not allow it to be taken away.”

“Hehe, I have no intention of letting go.”

Astasia stuck out her tongue and giggled.

“On the outside, Gray Gibraltar appears obsessed with Astasia von Tersian.”

“It’s something that academy students will be talking about from the very first day.”

“Should we create a newspaper and spread the word? Chairman Gray is obsessed with his granddaughter at the Academy Plaza.”

“Oh, that’s too blatant, so it won’t be very effective. Wouldn’t it be more effective if we just let the rumor spread and then get engaged when the atmosphere is ripe?”

“As expected, this is Dow, the imperial granddaughter. Her skill in handling the media is amazing, isn’t it?”

“Uncharacteristic of a person from the kingdom, you recognized that right away. Hehe.”

Astasia covered her mouth with her hand and laughed lowly.

“First of all, even if you don’t know about marriage, it’s clear that the path to love was blocked thanks to someone. The perfect gossip to talk about while eating is about who you like and who you’re dating, right? “

“It was like that at the Gorge Orphanage, and it was like that in social circles. It was like that in the past as well. Dating rumors between handsome men and women are bound to become popular.”

“Is this a dating rumor?”

“Isn’t the man still at the stage of one-sided obsession?”

“So, the pretty girl should be somewhat attracted to her, and then she will gradually become more likable?”

“Are you sorry?”

“Hmm, does this mean it’s low night?”

“…”

Wait a minute, I was speechless.

“Gray Gibraltar shows interest in Astasia’s granddaughter, and through that, the Gorge extends its friendly hand to the empire.”

“You’re changing your mind.”

“For Noir Gibraltar, those who want to protect the kingdom will gather one by one, but for Gray Gibraltar, imperialists will gather.”

“Are you changing your mind?”

Gray appears to be infatuated with the imperial granddaughter.

“Everything I do to the princess in front of other people is just acting. You know that, right?”

“Yes, of course I know. I think the Chairman knows that I act in front of other people.”

“It was hurtful to see them so coldly pushing me away and rejecting me.”

“It was fun to see you being so obsessed and clingy to me, wasn’t it?”

The smile never leaves Astasia’s mouth.

“Chairman. What are your next plans?”

“Is there anything special about my next plan? I have to stay at the academy for at least the month of March, so I’m planning to make sure I stick to it in the meantime.”

“Wedge?”

“When Gray Gibraltar is away, make sure no one dares approach Astasia von Tersian.”

Just like his father did to his mother his his.

“He keeps trying to take Astacia with him, tries to accommodate her, and gives her things that anyone would call ‘preferential treatment’ to the extent that they can be called an abuse of power.”

“For example, what specifically?”

“Going out on a date like this in front of everyone, suddenly entering the lecture room and kidnapping the granddaughter while the professor was lecturing, or having a special seat to watch the opera at the Hall of the Sun with the granddaughter.”

“Heh… Then, I feel a little uncomfortable emotionally, but for the sake of diplomatic relations, I just have to endure that discomfort and act like I have to go with the chairman?”

“Exactly.”

Both Astasia and Nana are people who can skillfully perform the necessary acting according to each other’s goals.

“I’m looking forward to it. Hmm, what kind of gift will the Chairman of the Gorge Foundation give for my granddaughter?”

“We will supply bikes. The latest models from the Empire.”

“…”

Astasia lifted her glass of water and put it down.

“It’s about a bicycle, right?”

“There are bicycles, but there are also horse bikes.”

“Eh. Really?”

Astasia shook her head in confusion.

“Don’t you think it’s too early?”

“There’s a place that needs a bike.”

I pointed in the direction of Empire-Canyon.

“If you ride a bike at top speed from Orosol Academy to Gibraltar territory, you will arrive there in about 2 to 3 hours.”

“The roads are bad.”

“We are paving a new private road separate from the horse-drawn carriage.”

“It will take several months.”

“In that respect, a kingdom has an advantage over an empire. That is…”

“Magic.”

As I extended the knife like a wand, Astasia’s eyes began to sparkle.

“The distance is almost hundreds of kilometers, how much do you expect?”

“After this semester ends, during the summer vacation, I will be able to ride my bike on the paved road to Gibraltar. Three months at the most.”

“Can a road be built that quickly in just 3 months… ?”

“It’s magic. If the amount of mana is insufficient, you can pour a potion of mana into the stomach, and if the mental power is shaken, you can give a huge reward and compensation.”

Unlike the Empire, where at least hundreds of people had to bring heavy equipment to build paved roads.

“If you ask Queen Carmen, she will do anything. Having a road between the royal capital and Gibraltar is a good thing for her.”

“Hey…”

The kingdom can complete construction with just a dozen wizards who specialize in land.

“Well, even though the imperial army can pass through the canyon and become a highway from the empire to the royal capital?”

“Isn’t the development of transportation too convenient to not build roads assuming a wartime situation?”

“Later, after the war, if you run from the archipelago to the royal capital in just half a day, you will hear people say, ‘The country is ruined because Gray Gibraltar laid the road!'”

“If I’m going to hear that anyway, I guess I’ll have to ask the empire to contribute some funds to build a road.”

“Wow…”

Astasia stuck out her tongue and laughed.

“They will use imperial money, not kingdom money, to pave the road for invasion themselves?”

“Fools who don’t know that the road will pierce their hearts for immediate gain. That’s good to hear.”

The sea I hoped for.

“Apart from war, what I want is the convenience of being able to travel between the canyon and the academy within 3 hours, so it doesn’t matter.”

“Is that possible? Even if they are wizards, they are replacing people.”

“Anything is possible if you have money. And sometimes, even without money, there are methods that work well for wizards.”

“What is it?”

“This.”

I took out a glass bottle from my pocket.

“This is Caroline, the anti-fatigue medicine.”

“…Hmm.”

“Although it is an item made through alchemy, wizards are currently analyzing it diligently because they want to find out its raw materials.”

“Isn’t it hard to find it in the market?”

“Yes. We are controlling things in Morgania.”

Currently, production has been suspended for a while, so calling Caroline has become worthwhile.

“Are you deliberately not releasing the quantity and taking extra money?”

“Is that possible? It’s just that there are difficulties in securing raw materials.”

“Somnus flowers are difficult to obtain?”

“Of course, it’s difficult to do anything other than the somnus flower. Aren’t I here right now?”

Caroline, ‘Silver’ from Gorge-made White Silver is something that can only be secured if you have me.

“In order to make a lot of this, I have to go to the canyon often. Have you heard any information?”

“…Ah. Yes. When the Knights of the Gorge often go on expeditions to the Seville domain, Gray Gibraltar often travels with the knights. I heard it carefully.”

“That’s impossible these days. I have to go so I can have a reason to bring Sir Robert, Sir Mente, and the Whites.”

“You just send the knights, right?”

“We regularly send out demonic beasts to hunt through smokescreen operations, but hunting them while only targeting vampires is another story.”

Except for Gray Gibraltar, everyone in the Earl of Gibraltar’s movements are closely monitored by those who came from the empire.

The thing you need to be most careful about is, of course, taking advantage only in situations you control.

“Ah. So you are trying to introduce a bike that can get to and from Gibraltar faster?”

“It would be nice to have a space movement magic, but even so, I can’t spend that money to travel this distance every time.”

“So you need a bike?”

“Yes. I don’t know about anything else, but I hope to bring in the convenience of the Empire’s magic machine.”

“Do you like bikes? Have you ever ridden one?”

“Actually, I like riding a horse rather than a bike.”

Since I am also a human being born in a kingdom, I prefer horseback riding.

“I thought the princess would like bikes.”

“Well, that can’t be possible. I like bikes? Ha, haha.”

“Is that so?”

For the sake of the girl you like, there’s nothing you can’t do to get off your horse and climb onto the wheeled imperial magic machine.

Because Astasia hates horseback riding.

“Princess, ride your bike-“

A moment when Astasia was about to talk about her hobbies.

“…Personally, I have a lot of questions about the empire.”

I immediately changed my posture.

“I don’t know what you’re curious about, but I have nothing more to say, Chairman.”

Astasia also straightened her back and answered arrogantly.

-Oh, no. Here is…

A perplexed clerk’s voice can be heard faintly from outside.

“…Tsk.”

Despite the soundproofing magic applied to the magical stone barrier where the magic is stored, the door to our room opens.

“Hello, Chairman?”

“…Annoying.”

Ah.

It was a little sincere.

“What is it?”

“Whatever. I heard that the Chairman of the Gorge Foundation was having a meal here, so I came to say hello.”

With her back to the sunlight, a white-haired, red-eyed woman in a black dress exposing her shoulders bowed her head towards me.

“I’d like to say hello.”

“…”

I frowned at the sight of her lowering her head without even covering her cleavage with her hands.

“Vice-Chancellor Bathory Erzsebet.”

“Oh my. So you know the name correctly?”

“How could you not know the person who holds the position next to the president?”

Bathory Erzsebet.

“After saying hello, leave now. “I don’t want to eat in an uncomfortable way.”

“Oh my. Am I uncomfortable?”

“Okay.”

Me too, but especially Astasia.

“Hello, Granddaughter Hwang. It’s nice to see you here again. Hehe.”

“Yes.”

“Hmph. Did I interrupt a nice date? Is this really rude?”

“If you know it’s rude, just quietly leave.”

“Oh my. Be cruel. Then, since I’ve already been rude, I’ll ask you to be rude some more.”

Vice President Bathory joined us at the table, pulling a chair himself as there was an empty seat at the table.

“In what capacity are you trying to join us, Vice President?”

“Oh my. Still, I’m an adult, so I think you should treat me with respect, right?”

“If you want to be treated like an adult, act like an adult. Do you mindlessly barge into other people’s tables like a child?”

“I’m not a child, but I’m in a position to take responsibility for a child. As soon as the morning lecture ended, I heard you were here and came running?”

“What is that?”

“First of all, as an adult of the empire, I am the protector of our lovely granddaughter.”

Astasia’s expression distorted at Bathory’s words.

“Let me introduce myself once again.” Greetings from Bathory Erzsebet, the guardian of the granddaughter sent by His Majesty the Crown Prince.”

“…”

“I didn’t bring the documents right now, but I have a legal guardian certificate with the stamps of Granddaughter Hwang’s biological father and mother.”

“…Birth mother?”

“Oh my. You know. Why? I know that the chairman knows, so I’m showing off like this, right? Hoho.”

This woman.

“Chairman Ipheria said that no matter how much she gets scolded, she can’t stand to see someone doing something that is not her responsibility as an adult.”

“…”

“I don’t have a very good relationship with Chairman Erwin, but as an adult, I can’t just sit by and watch minors mess around for the sake of it. From an imperial standpoint, from a woman standpoint, and as an older sister who likes the granddaughter. .”

“It looks like she wants to become a sister-in-law.”

“Sister-in-law… Hehe, Chairman. Look at how she only chooses to say things that make people feel good?”

Bathory grinned, licking her lips with her tongue.

“Then, shall we have a little more serious talk, Chairman?”

“What?”

“About our lovely granddaughter Astasia.”

Bathory rested her chin on one hand and twisted the corners of her mouth as if laughing at me.

“Our Hwang granddaughter is not a stick used by the chairman to show his superiority to others, but she is a lovely girl, right?”

“…”

Wow.

“Hey, Vice President Bathory…?”

“Granddaughter, please rest assured. Although I have a bad relationship with Chairman Erwin, I am a woman of the Empire.”

“Uh, so, um, is there a reason you came here… “

“Yes, that’s right.”

This woman.

“I came to save you, as a protector.”

…

“Let me make this clear, Chairman. If you don’t truly love Astasia, don’t think of playing with our granddaughter’s heart. Do you understand?”

The person who didn’t need to be caught was the first to be caught.